


Mommy? Are you okay now?

by TheSoggySchuyler4



Series: Scream into the Sun [1]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, I Made Myself Cry, I Tried, Kid Fic, Panic Attacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sort Of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:20:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23655223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSoggySchuyler4/pseuds/TheSoggySchuyler4
Summary: Daisy and Robbie's daughter learns to accept and understand her mom's trauma and PTSD.
Relationships: Lance Hunter/Bobbi Morse, Leo Fitz/Jemma Simmons, Robbie Reyes/Skye | Daisy Johnson
Series: Scream into the Sun [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1703185
Comments: 4
Kudos: 27





	1. Grandparents

**Author's Note:**

> I don't really know where i'm going with this, to be honest. It's kind of a mess. The whole thing stems from the fact that i kept identifying symptoms of PTSD in Daisy's on screen behaviour, and i kind of wanted to take that further. I also really love exploring kid's perspectives and understanding of difficult situations, so this will mostly be from their kid's perspective, but that might change later on. I really don't know yet! We'll see what happens.

It was Izzy’s fault, when Nina thought hard about it. They’d been playing spies in the park, and Izzy had suddenly announced that her grandparents were coming to visit.

“The ones from England.” Izzy boasted, flicking her blonde plaits, “They always bring loads of candy for me!”

Nina paused mid-kick.

“Why’re they coming?” She asked curiously. She had known Izzy long enough to know that her grandparents hardly ever visited. Either pair.

“Mommy and daddy are getting married again.” Izzy explained. “For the fourth time.”

Nina giggled. That was silly. You couldn’t get married more than once.

“I wish my grandparents would visit.” She said eventually, picking up a stone and throwing it into the line of trees at the edge of the yard.

“You don’t have any. My mommy said so.” Morgan interjected. She wasn’t as interested in playing spies, but Nina knew she could be just as fun when they started playing superheroes instead. Nina scowled. Morgan was younger than them, even though they were in the same year at school. She liked to appoint herself as the teller-of-all, because she was so smart.

“S’not true.” She bit back. “I do so have grandparents. They’re just busy being superspies.”

Nina did not know this for a fact, but the only time she’d actually dared ask about relatives, mommy had said that they all worked with her. Which presumably included Nina’s grandparents too. Even if mommy had never mentioned them. Izzy frowned.

“Now you’re lying to get attention Nina. I’m telling daddy.”

Izzy ran off before Nina could stop her and she frowned. Izzy’s daddy was nice most of the time, but he wasn’t afraid to have a word with the other kids if he thought they might be messing with his precious baby. Izzy returned a minute later, her daddy and mommy in tow. They both looked a little irritated to have been dragged from their bench.

“Mommy, daddy. Nina said that her grandparents were superspies, but I don’t believe her ‘cos she’s never said it before.”

Izzy’s mommy and daddy shared a look and Nina shrank a little. Finally, Izzy’s mommy cleared her throat.

“well, I suppose Nina’s grandparents are superspies…in a sense. They worked with her mommy. Is that what you meant, sweetie?”

Nina wasn’t sure what Izzy’s mommy was talking about, but she nodded anyway. Izzy’s mommy and daddy used to work with hers, so they probably knew what they were talking about.

“Right then kids. We should get going.” Izzy’s daddy clapped his hands together, “How about an ice cream before we head home?”

Izzy’s mommy slapped him on the arm, and he yelped.

“We are not giving these kids sugar rushes right before dumping them back with their poor parents.” She hissed at him, before lowering her voice, “You know Daisy has enough to worry about without chasing around a hyper kid.”

Nina paused at that, wondering what Izzy’s mommy meant. Her mommy was okay, wasn’t she? She shook her curls, deciding that it was probably an adulty thing she wouldn’t understand. Now if only they’d been allowed that ice cream.

* * *

Daddy wasn’t home when Izzy’s mommy and daddy dropped her off, and the lights weren’t on.

“Mommy might be out.” She suggested quickly. Mommy did that sometimes. She’d forget that she was meant to be somewhere and turn up hours later. Nina tried not to mind, even when mommy missed three of her karate competitions in a row. Izzy’s parents glanced at each other again.

“Hunter, why don’t you take Iz home, and I’ll stay here with Nina? I’m sure Daisy won’t be gone long.” Izzy’s mommy offered. She smiled down at Nina, but it didn’t look like a very happy smile. Nina smiled confusedly back, and waved goodbye to Izzy and her daddy.

“Daddy leaves a spare key in the birdhouse that mommy doesn’t know about.” Nina told Izzy’s mommy. The woman looked a little surprised at that.

“Why doesn’t your mommy know, sweetie?”

Nina shrugged. Daddy hadn’t really said, other than to tell her how important it was that mommy didn’t know.

“it’s cold. Can we go inside?” She asked instead. Izzy’s mommy sighed and nodded, letting Nina lead her over to the birdhouse and collect the key. The house was expectedly cold, and Nina knew that mommy had forgotten to put the heating on again. Izzy’s mommy left her for a moment to check the rest of the house, returning once she’d confirmed that mommy really wasn’t there.

“Maybe you should come over to our house for a bit?” Izzy’s mommy suggested, looking sympathetic, “Just until your mommy and daddy get home.”

Nina frowned.

“Mommy doesn’t like it when I’m not here.” She explained, “She gets scared that something happened to me.”

Izzy’s mommy looked oddly sad at that, but she nodded anyway.

“Alright. Why don’t we chat about something, hm? It’s your birthday coming up soon, isn’t it? A whole eight years!”

Nina nodded vaguely.

“Are my grandparents really superspies?” She asked suddenly, flushing at the look of confusion Izzy’s mommy gave her. Izzy’s mommy seemed to consider the question.

“Well, I don’t really know how to answer that, sweetie.” She spoke eventually, “I didn’t know your daddy’s parents, and I only met your mommy’s very briefly.”

Nina frowned.

“But they were superspies, right? That’s what you said at the park.” She reasoned, wondering what Izzy’s mommy meant.

“Yes, well that’s when we thought you were talking about May and Coulson.” Izzy’s mommy muttered. Nina leant forward.

“Who’s May and Coulson? Are they my grandparents?”

Izzy’s mommy blinked.

“You’ve got good ears, Nina.” Nina stared quietly at her until the woman relented. “May and Coulson worked with your mommy for a long time. Hunter and I considered them to be as good as your mommy’s parents. That’s why I thought you were talking about them when you said…that”

“Oh. Okay.” Nina leant back on the sofa. “Hey, how come you’re getting married again? Didn’t you do it properly the first time?”

Izzy’s mommy laughed.

“Well, it’s a bit more complicated than that, sweetie. You see…”

* * *

Mommy came back just before dinner time, carrying Chinese take-away, and apologising multiple times to Izzy’s mommy.

“I’m really sorry Bobbi. I thought I’d just be a few minutes, and then I got so caught up, I lost track of time.”

Izzy’s mommy shook her head.

“It’s really alright, Daisy. I had a lovely conversation with Nina about Hunter and I.”

Mommy managed a half smile and a snort.

“I can’t believe you two are actually getting married again. Why even bother?”

Izzy’s mommy looked extremely put out, and Nina crept forwards. She had enjoyed the discussion, even if she didn’t really get it, but she was far more interested in asking mommy about her grandparents.

“Mommy, can my grandparents come visit for my birthday?” She blurted out. Mommy froze.

“Your-You… Nina, i-, what-”

Nina shrank back, feeling tears prickling at her eyes as Izzy’s mommy wrapped her arms around mommy and led her away into the kitchen. Nina curled in on herself, straining slightly to hear the conversation in the next room.

_“I am so so sorry. This is all my fault. I just- Mine and Hunter’s parents are visiting for the wedding and Nina wanted to know about hers, but I didn’t say anything. I really thought she’d forgotten about it. I should have asked her not to talk to you about it. I’m really sorry.”_

Nina scrunched up her face in concentration. She could just about make out some sad choking noises that Nina realised probably came from mommy.

_“I know you hate talking about it. Do- Should I call Robbie? What do you need me to do, Daisy? Whatever you need.”_

There was a long silence, and Nina considered slipping through the door to see if mommy was alright.

_“Okay, we’ll do that then. Daisy, I really am sorry.”_

The voices stopped and Nina sat up. Maybe they were going to come back and tell her that everything was okay. To her disappointment, only Izzy’s mommy came back.

“You and Izzy are going to have a sleepover at my house tonight.” Izzy’s mommy told her. Nina slumped. As much as she liked Izzy and Izzy’s parents, she really just wanted to see her own mommy. Even if her mommy was a bit different to other mommies. Nina still loved her. She’d make sure to tell her that the next time she saw her.


	2. Classwork

Nina Reyes  
Third Grade  
Mrs Peterson’s Class

Task: Talk about someone you admire

**My name is** Nina Reyes **and I am** nine **years old**. **My favourite person** **is** my mommy. **Something that I love about** mommy is that she gives the best cudles and she is very brave. Mommy has bad days when she gets sad, but she always loves me. Mommy **is my role model** **because** she shows me how to fite the monsters and she is a real-life hero. Mommy fites bad guys all the time. **I wish that** my mommy smiled more because she is sad a lot.

_Nina, please see me after class._

_Please write out these spellings ten times each:_

_Fight_

_Fights_

_Cuddles_

* * *

Mrs Peterson wasn’t one of Nina’s favourite teachers, because she was always grumpy and yelled a lot, but Nina was pretty sure Mrs Peterson mostly liked her. Still, she clutched her classwork nervously and edged forwards, wondering if she was supposed to look apologetic or pleased.

“You aren’t in trouble, Nina. I just wanted to have a little chat about what you wrote, if that’s okay?” Mrs Peterson told her. Nina shrugged, taking a seat.

“First of all, your spelling has really improved this term. I’m very impressed.” Nina smiled half-heartedly and her teacher seemed to get that she wasn’t in the mood, leaning forwards in her seat.

“Nina, you wrote about how your mom is…sad a lot. Is that something people have told you, or do you just think that?”

Nina considered the question quietly. She knew when mommy was sad, because she would hide in her room, or start crying for no reason. Sometimes she even started screaming. Nobody had ever actually sat her down and talked to her about it, though.

“She cries a lot.” Nina began softly, “And she just… looks sad. Daddy looks after her.”

Mrs Peterson nodded thoughtfully.

“And why do you think that is, Nina? Why do you think your mom is sad?”

_That_ was a difficult question. There were lots of things that mommy got sad about, and Nina didn’t understand a lot of them.

“Yesterday mommy was sad because Uncle Leo and Auntie Jemma called.” She offered, flushing slightly. Mrs Peterson didn’t seem to mind and smiled slightly instead.

“Do you think that maybe your mom was crying because she was happy? It’s sometimes difficult for us to know what people are thinking, huh?”

Nina immediately shook her head. Mommy had definitely not been happy.

“No. Mommy was sad because she kept on asking if they were okay and she was choking a bit.”

Nina remembered that specifically. Daddy had had to take mommy away and talk to her to calm her down. She noticed that Mrs Peterson looked a little more concerned when she said that.

“Nina… what exactly do you understand about your mommy’s… sadness? Has she talked to you about it?”

“Not really. But mommy has lots of people that help her.” Nina insisted. She felt that it was important for Mrs Peterson to know how much everybody helped mommy.

Nina shrugged and nodded. She didn’t really remember what that meant.

“Alright. Okay, Nina? I’m going to give you this piece of paper. Can you give it to whoever is picking you up today, please?”

Nina took the paper, muttered a quick goodbye and hurried outside. It was Uncle Gabe picking her up today, which was always fun. Uncle Gabe sometimes let her ride on his lap, and they’d go really fast.

“Hey Chiquita! You ready to go?”

Nina beamed and rushed to hug her uncle.

“Hi Uncle Gabe! My teacher told me to give this to you.”

* * *

It was daddy who came to pick her up the following week. Nina vaguely noticed that daddy was holding the note from Mrs Peterson that she’d given Gabe (The paper was shaped like a cloud, so it was easy to recognise) but she was too busy hugging her daddy to care.

“I thought you had work today!” She explained, giggling as he swung her slightly. Daddy smiled.

“Well, I needed to have a little chat with your teacher, which is the perfect excuse to get to pick my favourite little angel up from school!”

Nina snuggled into his side, giving him a curious look. She hadn’t actually read the note, so she wasn’t sure what it said, but Mrs Peterson never called private meetings with parents. She said it was a lot of hassle and she hated having to do it.

“Am I in trouble?” She asked tentatively. Daddy shook his head and lead her back towards her classroom.

“Mrs Peterson just wanted to chat to me about mommy. She wants to know if she can help at all. “

Nina accepted that answer, and let her daddy go and talk to her teacher. There were so many interesting books in the library anyway, and she never got enough time to properly search them for ones she wanted to read.

* * *

Robbie felt far too big in Nina’s classroom, and was glad to see that Mrs Peterson had retrieved another full-sized chair from somewhere. The ones the kids sat on would have been too small.

“Mr Reyes, come in.” Nina’s teacher called, smiling pleasantly at him. She was middle aged, and obviously experienced, though new to the school. It was the first time either he or Daisy had met with her. He glanced down to the note in his hand. The one that had made Daisy cry last night.

“Was your wife unavailable to join us today?” Mrs Peterson asked. Robbie shook his head and sat down, feeling uncomfortable. They had talked at length about how they would deal with any teachers asking questions, but this was actually the first time they’d been called in to discuss it. Robbie realised that probably meant Nina was becoming far more aware of her mom’s PTSD.

“She’s working today, unfortunately, “He responded, remembering to smile. He didn’t add that she had called in to work asking for something to do once they knew the meeting was coming. He hadn’t really tried to argue with her on that one. If she didn’t want to come, there was little he could do to persuade her. Mrs Peterson nodded thoughtfully.

“I didn’t go into much detail in the note about the reasons surrounding this meeting, but you seem like an intelligent man, Mr Reyes. I’m sure you have some idea.”

Robbie nodded vaguely, finally noticing that Mrs Peterson had placed some of Nina’s work on her desk. He recognised the handwriting.

“Ordinarily, “Mrs Peterson continued, “I would hesitate to get the parents involved unless I thought that there was a serious issue. Now, outwardly, Nina seems to be a perfectly happy, normal child. I wouldn’t be too worried about her mental state, at least currently.”

Robbie squinted slightly, trying to work out what Mrs Peterson was getting at.

“However, in contrast, her written work has given me much cause for concern. Particularly when asked to write about her family.”

Ah, that was it. Robbie braced himself. They had attempted to explain to Nina why she couldn’t go writing that her family were all superspies, or that her daddy’s head could turn to fire (not that she’d ever seen that) and her mommy had superpowers, but there was no telling how much the message had actually gotten through to her.

“If I may be frank with you, Mr Reyes, what concerns me the most is your daughter’s persistent reference to how sad her mother is. Only last week the children were asked to write about their hero. Nina wrote about her mom, and how she was brave despite being ‘sad a lot’. I’m no psychologist, but I don’t consider that to be something a child typically picks up on. I therefore have to assume that this is something of a… regular occurrence in her house.”

Robbie felt the tears prick at his eyes as the teacher explained that Nina considered Daisy to be her hero. He leant forwards slightly on his chair, recalling what he and Daisy had agreed that they would give as an explanation.

“Mrs Peterson, my wife worked in the military for several years, and suffers from PTSD because of it. Although we try to protect Nina from what is going on a lot of the time, unfortunately, it would be impossible to hide everything. No doubt, that’s what this is.”

Mrs Peterson pursed her lips.

“Mr Reyes, I’m not sure if you’re aware, but Nina is an incredibly perceptive young lady. I have seen her, on multiple occasions, approach a child on the playground, or in my classroom, and try to cheer them up. Most children her age are beginning to develop this skill, but Nina shows very strong social development. If I may give my personal opinion, I’m not sure that hiding your wife’s PTSD from Nina will be a viable solution for much longer.”

Robbie paused, his mind scrambling to work out what Nina’s teacher was saying.

“I’ll discuss it with my wife,” he managed finally, mouth unbearably dry, “And we’ll ah, try to keep you updated on how we’re dealing with this. Um, if there’s anything else?”

Mrs Peterson stood, and Robbie followed suit.

“Nothing in particular,” She confirmed, “Thank you for your time, Mr Reyes. I hope to speak with you and your wife soon, although preferably about more positive topics.”

Robbie forced a smile and shook her hand.

“Thank you for letting us know. I hadn’t realised that she- well, anyway. We’ll get in touch if we think there’s anything the school should be made aware of. Uh, thanks again.”

Uttering a quick goodbye, Robbie headed outside. He was relieved to find Nina curled up with a book. She beamed up at him as he approached.

“Hi daddy! Did you fix everything?” She asked, rushing to hug him. Robbie found his smile again and pressed a kiss to Nina’s hair.

“Sure did Chiquita! All better now. And you know what? Why don’t we grab some ice cream on the way home since you were so good waiting for me?”

Nina’s face lit up and she cheered, grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the door. Robbie followed diligently, the smile never leaving his face, even as his thoughts turned to more serious matters. What was going to happen now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In answer to Robbie's question, i honestly don't know because i haven't written it yet! But i look forwards to finding out!


End file.
